The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an American horrorfranchise created by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. It consists of nine films, comics, a novel, and two video game adaptations. The franchise focuses on the cannibalistic spree killer Leatherface (who uses a chainsaw as his signature weapon) and his family, who terrorize unsuspecting visitors to their territories in the desolate Texas countryside, typically killing and subsequently cooking them. The film series has grossed over $252 million at the worldwide box office.[1]
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning[prequel]
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, released in 1974, written and directed by Tobe Hooper, was the first and most successful entry in the series. It is considered to be the first of the 1970s slasher films, and originated a great many of the clichés seen in countless later low-budget slashers. Its plot concerns a family of cannibals living in rural Texas, who abduct customers from their gas station. The film's most notable character, Leatherface, is one of the most well-known villains in cinema history, notable for his masks made of human skin, his blood-soaked butcher's apron and the chainsaw he wields.[5] Although the film is marketed as a true story, it does not depict actual events, and is instead (as with the film Psycho) inspired by notorious killer Ed Gein, who acted alone and did not use a chainsaw.[6]
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) is set 13 years after the events of the first film. Although it managed to recoup its relatively small budget, the film was not considered a financial success. Since its initial release, however, it has developed a cult following of its own. Unlike its predecessor, which combined minimal gore with a documentary-style nature, the sequel is a comedic horror film, filled with black humor and various gore effects created by make-up maestro Tom Savini. The film features an appearance by novelist Kinky Friedman as well as film critic Joe Bob Briggs. Briggs' cameo appearance was originally cut in editing, but was restored for the director's cut version of the film when it was released on DVD.
The 2003 remake, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by Marcus Nispel, written by Scott Kosar and produced by Michael Bay, is based on the events of the first film, but for the most part, it follows a different storyline. A major difference between the two films, for example, is that rather than picking up Leatherface's psychotic hitchhiker brother, the group instead come upon a traumatized survivor who shoots herself in their van. The film gives Leatherface's background, a real name (Thomas Brown Hewitt), as well as a possible reason for his wearing masks, namely a skin disease which has caused his nose to rot away. The remake received a mixed critical response upon release, but was financially successful enough to lead to a prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), which takes place in 1969. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, written by Sheldon Turner and produced by Michael Bay, it explores the roots of Leatherface's family and delves into their past. Leatherface's first mask is featured, as well as the first murder he commits using a chainsaw. It grossed less than its predecessor and has received a largely negative reception from film critics.
The seventh film, Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), is a direct sequel to the original 1974 film, and makes no reference to the events of the other sequels. The film was directed by John Luessenhop, and written by Adam Marcus, Kirsten Elms, and Debra Sullivan. Texas Chainsaw follows a young girl named Heather, who is travelling to Texas with her friends to collect an inheritance from her deceased grandmother, whom she had never met. There, Heather discovers that she is part of the Sawyer family, who were killed by the townspeople following the events of the 1974 film, as well as a cousin of Leatherface. According to Seth M. Sherwood, writer of the prequel Leatherface (2017), the eighth film is part of a continuity that consists of Leatherface, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and Texas Chainsaw 3D.[4]
Following the release of Leatherface, the producers had the rights to make five more Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. Producer Christa Campbell stated that the fate of the potential films would largely depend on the financial reception and perceived fan reactions regarding the 2017 prequel.[7][8] Lionsgate and Millennium Films lost the franchise rights in December the same year due to the time it took to release it.[9]Legendary Entertainment subsequently acquired the franchise's rights with interest in developing television and film projects.[10][11]
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series, when compared to the other top-grossing American horror series—A Nightmare on Elm Street, Child's Play, Friday the 13th, Saw, Scream, and Halloween—and adjusting for 2023 inflation, is next to last with $459.7 million,[18]Halloween is the highest-grossing horror series in the United States at approximately $1.09 billion.[19][20] Next in line is Friday the 13th at $908.4 million,[21] followed by the Nightmare on Elm Street series with $793.5 million.[22] The Scream film series is in fourth place with $779.5 million,[23] followed by the Saw series with $688.3 million,[24] and the Child's Play film series rounding out the list with $305.2 million.[25]
The cover to Leatherface #1, the first in a series of comics based on the film series
Several comic books based on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films were published in 1991 by Northstar Comics entitled Leatherface.[37] They were licensed as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Avatar Press for use in new comic book stories, the first of which was published in 2005.[38] In 2006, Avatar Press lost the license to DC Comics imprint, Wildstorm, which has published new stories based on the films. However, in June 2007, Wildstorm changed a number of horror comics, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, from monthly issues to specials and miniseries.[39]
The series of comics featured none of the main characters seen in the original film (Topps ComicsJason vs. Leatherface series is exempt) with the exception of Leatherface. The 1991 Leatherface miniseries was loosely based on the third Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. The writer of the miniseries, Mort Castle said: "The series was very loosely based on Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. I worked from the original script by David Schow and the heavily edited theatrical release of director Jeff Burr, but had more or less free rein to write the story the way it should have been told. The first issue sold 30,000 copies".[40] Kirk Jarvinen drew the illustrations for the first issue,[41] and Guy Burwell finished the rest of the series. The comics, not having the same censorship restrictions from the MPAA, featured much more gore than the finished film. The ending, as well as the fates of several characters, was also altered. An adaptation of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was planned by Northstar Comics, but never came to fruition.[42]
Video games
Thus far, three video games based on the franchise have seen release.
In 1983, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a mass-market video game adaptation of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was released for the Atari 2600 by Wizard Video.[43] In the game, the player assumes the role of Leatherface, and attempts to murder trespassers while avoiding obstacles such as fences and cow skulls.[44] As one of the first horror-themed video games, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre caused controversy when it was released due to the violent nature of the video game and sold poorly as many video game stores refused to carry it.[43][45] Wizard Video's other commercial release, Halloween, had a slightly better reception,[46] but the limited number of copies sold has made both games highly valued items among Atari collectors.[47]
In 2006, HeroCraft with publisher MindMatics released the mobile game Texas Chainsaw Massacre under license from New Line Cinema.[48][49]
In 1998, filming began for All American Massacre, and was to be the series' fifth installment which would have served as both a sequel and prequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.[60] The film was initially conceived as a 15-minute short, but was expanded to a 60-minute feature.[61] It was directed by William Hooper, son of Tobe Hooper.[60][61]Bill Moseley reprised his role as the character Chop Top, who would have been revealed to have survived the events of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and been in a Texas psychiatric prison for a number of years.[60] The plot of the film would have centered on Chop Top detailing his past in an interview with a news crew, before carrying out a new series of murders.[60] A trailer for All American Massacre was released on the internet, but the film itself was never released.[60] As of September 2024, the film has yet to ever release.
Butcher Boys (2012)
In 2012, a continuation of the secret society subplot from The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre titled Butcher Boys was released in 2012, despite the film featuring no characters from the film, it does set out to answer the ambiguity of the subplot.[62]
Theme park attraction
In 2025, a haunted house attraction called Universal Horror Unleashed will feature characters from the film franchise.[63]
↑ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) are explicitly continuous with the original 1974 film, though not necessarily with one another. Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre are generally presumed to be in continuity with the original due to their titles (number III and The Return of), but aside from an uncredited and ambiguous cameo from Marilyn Burns in Return there are no in-film indications of continuity in these entries, they function more as stand-alone stories.
↑ The film is a sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) set fifty years later. Producer and story writer Fede Álvarez clarified that the film does not outright erase the original sequels: "When movies do that, sometimes it feels a bit disrespectful to all the other films. Some people love Texas Chainsaw 2. But the rest is such a mess canon-wise. I think it's up to you to decide when and how the events of the other movies happen".[2][3]
Related Research Articles
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film produced, co-composed, and directed by Tobe Hooper, who co-wrote it with Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen. The plot follows a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals while on their way to visit an old homestead. The film was marketed as being based on true events to attract a wider audience and to act as a subtle commentary on the era's political climate. Although the character of Leatherface and minor story details were inspired by the crimes of murderer Ed Gein, its plot is largely fictional.
A slasher film is a subgenre of horror films involving a killer or a group of killers stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as a generic term for any horror film involving murder, film analysts cite an established set of characteristics which set slasher films apart from other horror subgenres, such as monster movies, splatter films, supernatural and psychological horror films.
Willard Tobe Hooper was an American filmmaker, best known for his work in the horror genre. The British Film Institute cited Hooper as one of the most influential horror filmmakers of all time.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, and written by L. M. Kit Carson. It is the sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and the second installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The film stars Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams, Bill Johnson, Bill Moseley, and Jim Siedow. The plot follows Vanita "Stretch" Brock, a radio host who is victimized and abducted by Leatherface and his cannibalistic family; meanwhile, Lt. Boude "Lefty" Enright, the uncle of Sally and Franklin Hardesty—both prior victims of the family—hunts them down.
Robert Sawyer, better known as "Chop-Top" is a fictional character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise; created by Tobe Hooper and L. M. Kit Carson, Chop-Top makes his first appearance in the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) as one of the film's villains and the main source of its black humor.
Marilyn Burns was an American actress. She was known for playing Sally Hardesty in Tobe Hooper's horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), which established her as a scream queen and a catalyst of the final girl trope. She was involved in two more films of its resulting franchise: a cameo in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995) and a supporting role in Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013). In 2009, she was inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame at the Phoenix Film Festival.
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is a 1990 American slasher film directed by Jeff Burr and written by David J. Schow. It is the sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), and the third installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The film stars Kate Hodge, William Butler, Ken Foree, Tom Hudson, Viggo Mortensen, Joe Unger, and R.A. Mihailoff. The film follows Leatherface and his cannibalistic family stalking a motorist couple in the backroads of Texas.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel, written by Scott Kosar, and starring Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour, and R. Lee Ermey. Its plot follows a group of young adults traveling through rural Texas who encounter Leatherface and his murderous family. It is a remake of Tobe Hooper's 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and the fifth installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Several crew members of the original film were involved with the project: Hooper and writer Kim Henkel served as co-producers, Daniel Pearl returned as cinematographer, and John Larroquette reprised his voice narration for the opening intertitles.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning is a 2006 American slasher film and a prequel to the 2003 film. The sixth installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, it was written by Sheldon Turner from a story by Turner and David J. Schow, directed by Jonathan Liebesman and co-produced by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. The film's story takes place four years before its predecessor. It stars Jordana Brewster, Diora Baird, Taylor Handley, Matt Bomer and R. Lee Ermey.
Sally Hardesty is a fictional character in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. She made her first appearance in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) as a young woman investigating her grandfather's grave after local grave robberies—crossing paths with Leatherface and his cannibalistic family in the process. In this film and later in The Next Generation (1995), she was portrayed by Marilyn Burns. Olwen Fouéré was cast in the sequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022). The character, renamed Erin Hardesty and played by Jessica Biel, also appeared in a remake of the original film in 2003.
Kim David Henkel is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He is best known for co-writing the horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with Tobe Hooper.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a video game for the Atari 2600 based on the film of the same name. The game was released in March 1983 by Wizard Video Games. It was designed and programmed by VSS, a software development company started by Ed Salvo and several other ex-Games by Apollo programmers.
The popularity of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film-series and of its main character, Leatherface, led to the publication of several comic books based on the franchise. In 1991, Northstar Comics released a miniseries titled Leatherface — a loose adaptation of Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III — that ran for four issues. In 1995, Topps Comics released Jason Vs. Leatherface, a three-issue miniseries that had Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th fame moving in with Leatherface and his cannibalistic family.
Leatherface is a character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. He first appeared in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) as the mentally disabled member of a family of deranged cannibals, featuring his face masks and chainsaw. Created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel, Leatherface was partially inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein, in addition to confessions by serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley. The character has subsequently been represented in various other media, including novels, video games, and comic books; appearing in all nine films in the series.
Leatherface is a fictional character from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.
The Texas Chainsaw House is located in Kingsland, Texas, on the grounds of The Antlers Hotel. This 1900s late Edwardian farm house was featured prominently in Tobe Hooper's horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as the home of Leatherface and his cannibalistic family, before it was moved to this location from Williamson County in 1998. The then-dilapidated farm house originally sat on Quick Hill Road during the July–August 1973 filming of the movie. The original site is where La Frontera is now located, in Round Rock.
Texas Chainsaw 3D is a 2013 American 3D slasher film directed by John Luessenhop, with a screenplay by Adam Marcus, Debra Sullivan and Kirsten Elms.
Chain Saw Confidential: How We Made the World's Most Notorious Horror Movie is a 2013 non-fiction book by the actor Gunnar Hansen, who is best known for portraying Leatherface in Tobe Hooper's film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The book was first released on September 24, 2013 through Chronicle Books and covers the making of the iconic slasher film.
Leatherface is a 2017 American horror film directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, written by Seth M. Sherwood, and starring Stephen Dorff, Vanessa Grasse, Sam Strike, and Lili Taylor. It is the eighth installment in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (TCM) franchise, and works as a prequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), explaining the origin of the series' lead character.
↑ Campbell, Crista (December 25, 2017). "christa campbell on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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